Vegas Stakes

Share.

Could it be that Acclaim made a good South Park game?

By Monica Wilbur

Las Vegas... an oasis of neon lights and sleepless nights. Showy lounge singers, shameless street-hustlers, destitute slot jockeys, and high-rolling hopefuls populate a town built as a monument to money. Undoubtedly, Las Vegas has a certain decadent appeal. Those looking for a fast buck and slick society can find it in this city...and in Nintendo's casino simulation, Vegas Stakes.

Features

Single-player.

Battery backed memory.

Three game saves.

Five different casino games.

Excellent game control.

Difficulty level: Easy to Medium.

The Game You begin Vegas Stakes with $1000 and a female 'companion' who will accompany you from casino to casino. At each casino, you may choose from the following games: Slots, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Seven-Card Stud Poker. Each game offers different odds of winning. Even if you are new to the gambling scene, you can play without fear of going instantly broke. Each game provides access to a sub-menu that will familiarize you with the rules or odds of that specific game. If you prefer more comprehensive instructions, you can consult the detailed and exhaustive manual for more information. The game ends when you lose all your money, but thankfully, a battery backed game save option lets you resume play with the amount of money you had at the time of your last save. Vegas Stakes presents four different casinos in which to try your luck. For those down to their last dollar, The Hideaway casino offers gambling for as low as $1a wager. Should you find yourself in more cash cozy circumstances, you can head to The Golden Paradise, where $50 minimum bets are the standard. Those with hot hands and full wallets can venture to The 2020, where the betting ranges from $100 to $1000. And should you be lucky enough to win more than $100,000 in any of these casinos, you will have earned yourself an invitation to the exclusive Laurel Palace, where $1000 minimum bets are the rule, not the exception.

During gameplay a number of characters will intrude upon your gambling. Some will be shifty, others trustworthy. All will offer you different gambling opportunities, from buying lottery tickets to betting on boxing matches. Whether you take them up on their offers is up to you, as you may stand to win or lose big on any of these unofficial transactions.

Vegas Stakes provides suitable graphics for a game of this genre. The gambling tables are plush with details, and the faces of the characters you encounter help create a more realistic social environment. The different animations (boxing matches, pony races) will also hold your attention, even if they are a bit stiff and repetitive. One minor graphical objection is the wager meter that lets you select how much money you'd like to bet. This meter is small and often a bit hard to read. You'll want to look carefully before you place any bets.

The music is showy and a little bit cheesy in that classic Las Vegas style. One nice thing is that the tunes change in each casino, helping create distinct atmospheres for each place. One unfortunate thing is that you may find the music slightly annoying as it never subsides, and the game's designers do not provide any way to turn it off. In situations like this, just reach for the volume dial.

Sound effects are minimal but effective. The virtual casino noises include cards shuffling, chips clicking, and your money meter tinkling with the sound of lost or won cash. A nice touch would have been the murmur of slot machines and low-toned conversations in the background, but sadly this is not one of the soundtrack's distinctions.

With four different casinos offering different levels of play on five different games, Vegas Stakes goes beyond just covering the basics. Technically, this simulation can only be beaten by maxing out on your earnings. Otherwise, it is infinitely replayable as a player can repeatedly challenge the odds and take different gambling risks as they are presented.

The Verdict

Vegas Stakes can't fully recreate the authentic experience of gambling in an actual casino, but it does have one advantage-you can never really go broke. If playing classic games of chance with virtually no risk attached sounds like a good way to pass the time, Vegas Stakes offers a solid gameplay experience.

Monica Wilbur reviews games for IGNpocket's #1 affiliate, GBCDojo. Be sure to stop by GBCDojo for everything Game Boy Color.